Universities spent average of ?3 million each on 2021 REF

Universities spent ?6,000 for every researcher 바카라사이트y submitted to?바카라사이트 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), at a?cost of?about ?3?million per institution, a report reveals.

That represents a significant hike in?institutional spending compared with REF 2014, when 바카라사이트 average cost per researcher was ?4,000, and average institutional expenditure was ?2?million, explains a study commissioned by Research England to?estimate 바카라사이트 overall cost of?바카라사이트 2021 exercise, which examined 185,594 outputs from 76,134 university staff.

Based on a survey of all 157 participating institutions and in-depth interviews with a representative sample of 26 universities, 바카라사이트 report by policy advisory group Technopolis calculates that universities spent a total of ?454?million on REF?2021, of which ?141?million went on preparing impact statements and ?24?million on panellists¡¯ time.

Campus views: Don¡¯t let 바카라사이트 REF tail wag 바카라사이트 academic dog

Costed at ?284?million, unit of assessment (UoA) level spending was 바카라사이트 biggest source of expense by universities related to 바카라사이트 REF, explains 바카라사이트 report. Most of this related to 바카라사이트 time spent by senior academics identifying researchers and outputs for inclusion, or?selecting work that could be submitted for impact, says 바카라사이트 REF 2021 Cost Evaluation report, published on 13?July.

REF-related central management costs, excluding money spent on external consultants, amounted to ?146?million, or ?21?million a?year over 바카라사이트 seven-year cycle.

The overall estimate of university-level spending had already been disclosed in a Research England report published last month.

The massive spike in overall costs on 2014 levels ¨C when 바카라사이트 REF was estimated to cost institutions ?230?million ¨C came despite efforts to reduce bureaucracy in 바카라사이트 national audit of UK university research.

However, several policy changes for 바카라사이트 2021 exercise led to additional costs, explains 바카라사이트 report. These include 바카라사이트 requirement to submit all research-active staff to 바카라사이트 REF ¨C which saw an extra 24,000 researchers enter outputs ¨C and new guidance on open access requirements that was viewed by many institutions as a significant new cost burden, says 바카라사이트 study.

In 바카라사이트 2021 exercise, institutions also incurred higher costs in an effort to identify ¡°바카라사이트 best combination of outputs, from a much larger pool of candidate outputs¡± compared with REF 2014, when selection was based largely on finding 바카라사이트 ¡°best outputs¡±, a process that was less cost-intensive, 바카라사이트 study adds.

The impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic on REF 2021 was minimal, with Covid mitigation statements representing just 1?per cent of 바카라사이트 exercise¡¯s overall cost, 바카라사이트 study says.

It also found significant differences in 바카라사이트 per-researcher cost to universities based on 바카라사이트 size of an institution. For smaller institutions that submitted 150 researchers or fewer, 바카라사이트 average cost of each researcher entered into 바카라사이트 REF 2021 was ?14,000; for larger institutions, which submitted more than 354 researchers, this fell to ?4,000 per researcher. Overall, 바카라사이트 average cost per output was ?2,000, but this rose to ?7,000 per output when institutions submitted 435 or fewer.

In terms of minimising 바카라사이트 cost and burden of 바카라사이트 REF, 바카라사이트 study recommends that 바카라사이트re be ¡°continuity of rules¡± from 바카라사이트 2021 audit, as well as more ¡°timely, clearer, consistent and precise guidance¡± about changes for 바카라사이트 2028 exercise, early details of which were published last month.

Research England says it believes its proposals ¨C including 바카라사이트 complete decoupling of outputs from individuals and reducing impact case study requirements ¨C could lead to as much as ?100?million in efficiency savings.

Asked about value for money, some 21?per cent of institutions said 바카라사이트 REF ¨C which cost funding councils ?16?million to run ¨C was ¡°good value for money¡± in light of 바카라사이트 ?15?billion in research funding that would flow to 바카라사이트 sector between 2021 and 2028, with 58?per cent saying it was ¡°moderate¡± value for money and 21?per cent saying it was ¡°low value for money¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com